Flexsys, a global leader in advanced tire additives and material-science solutions
Flexsys, a global leader in advanced tire additives and material-science solutions, has announced a breakthrough that could reshape tire chemistry and environmental stewardship for decades to come. The company has developed what it describes as the industry’s first truly viable alternative to 6PPD, the antidegradant chemical that has served as the global standard for tire protection for the last 50 years.
This new chemistry is not a quick substitute or theoretical lab concept; it is the outcome of years of intensive R&D by Flexsys’ innovation team, conducted in close collaboration with respected federal institutions and independent research laboratories. From the outset, Flexsys set an ambitious goal: develop a replacement that not only matches the performance and durability of 6PPD in real-world conditions, but also aligns with evolving toxicological, environmental, and regulatory expectations worldwide.
From Problem Recognition to Innovation
The turning point came in 2020 with the identification of 6PPD-quinone, a transformation product that forms when 6PPD is used in tires. Subsequent studies suggested that 6PPD-quinone could pose a risk to certain aquatic species, particularly coho salmon, triggering concern among regulators, environmental groups, and tire manufacturers. For an industry built around safety and reliability, this posed a serious challenge: how to preserve the essential protective function of 6PPD while addressing its environmental impact.
Flexsys responded by launching a focused effort to create a high-performance, scalable, and cost-effective replacement. The goal was not merely to tweak existing molecules, but to reimagine antidegradant chemistry so it could:
- Maintain the high safety standards and long service life that modern tires demand.
- Fit into existing manufacturing and compounding processes with minimal disruption.
- Meet or exceed stringent environmental and regulatory benchmarks.
- Avoid forming quinone-type transformation products that could impact ecosystems.
Rather than pursuing early-stage, unproven concepts, Flexsys committed to extensive, multi-stage testing and validation to ensure that the new chemistry would be both practical and impactful.
A New Chemistry Designed for Performance and Sustainability
According to the company, testing conducted at Flexsys’ innovation center, at independent third-party labs, and in collaboration with tire industry partners shows that the new solution is on track to meet all of its major technical targets. These include:
1. Robust tire protection over the full lifecycle
The alternative is engineered to deliver both short- and long-term protection against cracking, oxidation, and other forms of degradation. Tire manufacturers require materials that can withstand years of exposure to heat, oxygen, ozone, and mechanical stress while maintaining safety and performance. Flexsys’ data indicates that the new antidegradant can meet these demanding requirements, ensuring that the shift away from 6PPD does not come at the expense of driver or passenger safety.
2. Minimal changes to existing rubber compound formulations
One of the biggest obstacles to adopting new chemicals in tire production is the need for costly, time-consuming reformulation work. Flexsys has deliberately designed this alternative so that it can be introduced into existing rubber compounds with minimal modification. This alignment helps tire manufacturers integrate the new chemistry faster, with less requalification work, and reduced technical risk. In practical terms, this means more streamlined adoption timelines and lower transition costs.
3. Compliance with modern environmental and regulatory benchmarks
Flexsys has aimed to ensure that the new chemistry aligns with the 6PPD Alternatives Assessment Hazard Criteria developed by the Washington State Department of Ecology and other emerging frameworks. These criteria are designed to evaluate potential replacements for 6PPD based on their toxicological profiles and environmental behavior. By developing a solution in line with these standards, Flexsys positions its innovation to meet future regulatory expectations, not just today’s rules.
4. A non-PPD chemistry that avoids quinone formation
Unlike 6PPD and related compounds in the p-phenylenediamine (PPD) family, the new Flexsys antidegradant is based on a different chemical backbone. This alternative chemistry is engineered specifically so that it does not form quinone-type transformation products during use. In other words, the mechanism that leads to 6PPD-quinone is designed out of the system. This approach is meant to eliminate the environmental impact associated with quinone formation and directly address the concerns that initiated the industry-wide search for alternatives.
5. Compatibility with existing chemical manufacturing assets
Another key advantage is that the new solution can be produced using substantially the same intermediate chemistry and production infrastructure currently used for 6PPD. This means that chemical manufacturers do not need to build entirely new plants or invest heavily in new process equipment to bring the alternative to market at scale. By leveraging existing assets, the industry can ramp up production more quickly and at lower capital cost, helping speed adoption and make the transition more economically viable.
Taken together, these attributes set Flexsys’ solution apart from other early-stage or theoretical attempts to move beyond 6PPD. While many efforts are still in the nascent research phase, Flexsys emphasizes that its technology has already undergone broad-based testing and is progressing toward commercialization with tangible performance and feasibility data behind it.
Industry Impact and Strategic Significance
Flexsys believes this development has the potential to accelerate a rapid, global shift away from 6PPD without sacrificing the durability, safety, and reliability that consumers and regulators expect from modern tires. According to the company, its testing suggests the new chemistry can:
- Enable large-scale replacement of 6PPD within a practical timeframe.
- Satisfy the rigorous safety standards used to validate tires for road use.
- Align with tightening environmental regulations and hazard assessment criteria.
- Support automaker and tire manufacturer sustainability goals, including reduced ecological impact across the tire lifecycle.
“This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to responsible innovation, built on decades of expertise in tire protection chemistry,” said Carl Brech, Chief Executive Officer of Flexsys. He noted that the solution is formulated not only to meet current performance expectations but also to be robust in the face of future regulatory and environmental requirements. “Our solution is formulated to deliver the performance and reliability that tire makers expect and is designed for future environmental and regulatory standards,” Brech said.
Addressing a Long-Standing Industry Challenge
For half a century, 6PPD has been central to tire durability, protecting rubber from cracking and degradation caused by ozone, oxygen, and other environmental stressors. This chemistry has helped ensure that tires remain safe and functional over years of use in a wide range of climates and driving conditions.
The 2020 discovery that 6PPD-quinone, a transformation product formed from 6PPD, can be harmful to certain aquatic species introduced a serious challenge for the industry. Studies indicated that this compound could contribute to mortality events in coho salmon and potentially affect other aquatic life. As awareness grew, regulators, NGOs, and industry stakeholders called for viable alternatives that could maintain tire safety while reducing or eliminating these environmental risks.
Flexsys’ newly developed solution directly targets that challenge. By moving away from the PPD family and structurally designing the chemistry to avoid quinone formation, the company aims to preserve the protective benefits of an antidegradant while addressing the core environmental concern that has come to the forefront in recent years.
“Our team set out to develop a next-generation antidegradant that meets the tire industry’s highest performance standards without compromising tire safety, while also reducing toxicity,” said Neil Smith, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer at Flexsys. He emphasized the dedication of the R&D team and the broader significance of the work. “I could not be more proud of the perseverance and dedication of the Flexsys R&D team. Our group has been highly motivated by both the technical challenges of this project as well as the positive societal impact that this work will ultimately have.”
Collaboration and Ecosystem Support
Flexsys acknowledges that innovation of this scale does not happen in isolation. The company highlighted its collaboration with the Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub in Akron, Ohio, and the Akron Polymer Industry Cluster, both key players in fostering advanced materials development. The Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub is part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Tech Hubs Program and is dedicated to advancing global materials innovation and reshoring critical supply chains by commercializing new polymer technologies.
These partnerships underscore the strategic importance of advanced polymer science and responsible innovation to the broader U.S. industrial and economic landscape. By situating its development within this ecosystem, Flexsys is aligning its technology with national priorities around sustainability, resilience, and advanced manufacturing.
Pathway to Commercialization
With promising technical results in hand, Flexsys is now shifting focus from core R&D to large-scale implementation. The company is working closely with tire manufacturers that have already been involved in early testing and validation to refine adoption plans and support roll-out across multiple product lines.
Key steps toward commercialization include:
- Process optimization for world-scale production: Flexsys is refining the process chemistry to ensure that the alternative can be produced efficiently and reliably at global volumes. Leveraging the existing intermediate chemistry used in 6PPD production provides a strong foundation for scaling up.
- Ongoing regulatory engagement: The company is actively working with regulatory authorities worldwide to secure the necessary approvals for commercial use. This involves generating and submitting data on toxicology, environmental fate, and performance, ensuring that the new chemistry is fully evaluated and authorized under applicable frameworks.
- Continued performance and safety validation: Even as regulatory submissions move forward, Flexsys continues to collaborate with tire industry partners on additional performance, durability, and safety testing. This helps confirm that the new antidegradant can be used in a variety of tire types, applications, and operating conditions without compromising safety standards.
“Flexsys is helping set the direction of the tire industry for the coming decades with this development,” said Brech. He emphasized that the company views this innovation as a long-term contribution to both tire technology and environmental protection. “We will continue to work tirelessly to bring this breakthrough to the market as soon as possible.
As regulators, environmental groups, and industry stakeholders intensify their focus on the environmental impacts of tire wear and chemical additives, the availability of a tested, scalable, and viable alternative to 6PPD represents a major milestone. Flexsys’ new antidegradant solution is designed to balance three core objectives: uncompromised tire safety and performance, alignment with current and expected regulatory frameworks, and reduced environmental impact, particularly in aquatic ecosystems.
If adopted widely, this innovation could enable the tire industry to transition away from a chemistry that has raised significant environmental concerns, without sacrificing the durability and reliability that drivers around the world depend on every day. For automakers and tire manufacturers pursuing ambitious sustainability targets, Flexsys’ development offers a potential pathway to align product performance with environmental responsibility in a way that is practical, scalable, and grounded in rigorous science.
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